Support for telephone-transmitters or other apparatus.



No. sauna. Paitanted Supt. 3, l90l.

E. E. RIES. SUPPORT FOR TELEPHONE TBANSMITTEBS OR OTHER APPARATUS.

(Application filed 55 1;. 19, 1598.

(No Model.)

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UNTTED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS E. RIES, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

SUPPORT FOR TELEPHONE-TRANSIiIlTTERS or OTHER APPARATUS:

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0, 681,813, datedSeptember 3, 1901. Application filed September 19, 1898. Serial No-691,390. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ELIAS E. RIES, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of New York, in'the county and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Supports forTelephone-Transmitters or other Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to extensible supports for telephone and otherelectrical apparatus designed for use in places where it is desirablethat the instrument or other device when not in use may be supported soas to be out of the way and whereby it may be brought into effective orconvenient proximity to the user without disturbing the circuit thereof.

The object of my invention is primarily to provide a neat, compact,ornamental, and convenient transmitter arm or support for desk and otheruse adapted to be rigidly secured to the desk or other fixed support insuch a manner as to be at all times out of the way of books, papers,&c., that may be lying upon the desk or table and which is capable ofbeing readily adjusted so as to be brought into and out of operativeposition without requiring the use of a conducting cord orcords formaintaining connections between the movable transmitter and itsstationary support.

A further object of my invention is to provide anextensible or foldingtransmitter-arm of such compact form as to permit of the same beingplaced, for example, within an ordinary pigeonhole of a roll-top desk insuch a manner that the transmitter-mouthpiece will normally be flushwith the face of the desk or will project only slightly therefrom, so asto be out of the way of the slide of the desk when the latter is closed,and whereby the transmitter may readily be moved forward, so as toclosely approach the lips of the user when he desires to carry onconversation, particularly at such times when it is desirable forprivacy or other reasons to converse in a low tone or voice.

In another application filed concurrently herewith, Serial No. 691,389,I have shown and described several types of extensible supporting-armsdesigned to perform somewhat similar functions. In my present invention,however, I make use of a different type of apparatus, in which thetelephone instrument, or preferably the transmitter thereof, is

mounted upon a series of conducting-rods extending between stationaryand movable bushings or spacingpieces provided with openings throughwhich certain of the said rods may slide and so arranged as to form anornamental support or cage when the transmitter-arm is in its normal orclosed position and an elongated rigid support for the trans mitter whenthe arm is extended. I also provide means whereby the continuity of thetransmitter circuit is maintained through said conducting-rods in anyposition of the transmitter and also certain other novel features, aswill hereinafter more fully appear.

In applying or carrying out my invention I prefer to combine with thestationary transmitter apparatus the various fixed elements of thetelephone outfit, such as the inductioncoil and signaling hell orbuzzer, which fixed elements may be placed within the box forming thebase to which the extensible arm that supports the transmitter proper issecured and to connect with said transmitter apparatus by means of aflexible cord those portions of the telephone outfit that requiremanipulationsuch as the receiver, switch, and signaling key or buttonwhich may be embodied in a single separate apparatus. I do not, however,limit myself to such arrangement, but mayin some cases secure the baseof the transmitter-supporting arm directly to the desk or other point ofattachment without directly combining therewith any of its accessoryelements, and in other cases-as, for instance, when my supporting-arm isto be used in connection with a Wall instrument-I may mount the variousother elements or devices constituting the telephone outfit upon abase-board or within a suitable telephone-box in the usual manner. Itwill beobvious also that my extensible supporting-arm may be used tohold at its free extremity a complete telephone outfit and that themovement or extension of said arm into position for use may be made tooperate the necessary signaling and circuit-changing devices. Thislatter feature, however, I will not further refer to herein, since it isintended to form part of a separate application for Letters Patent.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form ofmy extensible supporting-arm mounted upon the front of a telephone-boxand showing the arm as it appears modified form of my extensible arm andthe transmitter supported thereby, showing the arm in its extendedposition. Figs. 3, 3 3 and 3 are rear and front views, respectively,

'of -the insulating spacing bars or bushings 7 Where the rods D D and GC, respectively,

'shownin Fig. 3:and their contact-springs.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings,iA is a 'box'adapted to be securedto the inner back} wall of a roll-top desk or other fixed support andadapted to contain the transmitter in% duction-coil, 'buzzer, and suchother acces- 'sorytportionsof the telephone outfit as may 'be desired.To the front of this box myex tensible transmitter-arm is securedin'such 'alpositionthat when the arm is extendedthei mouthpiece 'F ofthe transmitter E will come approximatelyopposite the lips of the sub-@scriber or user.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the sup-Z zporting-arm'properconsists of three sections The rodsofi each section are placed atequidistant points; around a circular line'passing through all the% rodsand are so shifted or disposed with relation to the rods of the othersections that; when the supporting-arm is closed the vari-@ ous rodsform'a cylindrical cage, as shown ati or'groups of three rods each.

G, Fig. 1.

In 'the form ofrm-y invention shown in Fig. 3'each section ofthesupporting-arm consists of but two'rods,-and the rods ofeach sectionare so spaced *relativelyto each other that when the arm is closed'allthe rods will be grouped together atapproximately equal dis- 1 taucesapart-inthe same vertical plane.

. The construction of myimproved supportin-g armwill be moreclearlycomprehended byreference'tothe'modification shown inFig. 3 and inthe detail=viewsFigs. 3, 3 3, and 3 Themodification here shown,'althoughsimi larin principle, is of a more simple character, and will thereforebe first described.

The transmitter E, having at its forward end the mouthpiece F, issupported bythe metallic rods DD, forming the forward section oftheextensible support. The forward endsof these rods are threaded andenter at diam etrically oppositepoints the plug e,form-v ingtheprojecting rearportion of the transmitte'r E and constituting one ofitsterminals. Thelower rod D is insulated from the plug 6 and isprovided with a spring-finger e, that makes contact with the centerterminal e of the transmitter, as shown in'Fig. 3. The rods 'D D arearranged to slide with a;

piece a withthe same. middle rods'C Oafter passing freely through slightdegree of friction through the two in ner holes formed in aspacing-piece c of hard rubber or other insulating material and areprovided with screw-heads d d at their rearward extremity,which act asstops against the piece and serve to prevent the withdrawal of the rodsfrom said piece when the arm is fully extended. Into the rear face ofthe spacing-piece c, at points slightly above and below the rods D D,respectively, are firmly driven or otherwise secured the forward ends oftwo additional rods 0 0, forming the middle section of thesupporting-arm. By reference to Fig 3, which shows a view of the rearand front faces, respectively, of the spacing-piece c, it will be seenthat the rear surface of the piece c is re'cessedat the points enter it.Within these recesses are located double eyelets or twin sleeves j j,"formed of spring-brass orother metal adapted to maintain constantelectrical contact between each pair of the rods D O. Thesecontacteyelets or sleeves j j arerso arranged as to flexibly bear upon andpermit the rod-s D D to slide freelyin and out within them, while attheir opposite ends they are soldered to the ends of the rods OOand'driven into the spacing- The rear ends of the a fixed spacing-pieceb are driven into or otherwise made fast to a sliding spacing-piece c.Fig. 3:shows a rear and front viewof the spacing-piece b, through whichthe rods C 0 pass before entering their spacing-piece c. It will be seenthat the rear face of the spacing b is recessed similar to that of c andcontains contact-springs j j, which are fixed upon the ends of the rodsB B, forming the rear or first section of the arm, and make slidingcontact with the arms 0' 0 of the iniddlesection as they pass in and outthrough the piece 1). The rear ends of the arms B B are driven intoanother spacing or base piece I), which in Fig. 3 is shown as beingprovided with trunnions b b, having upper and lower bearings in a framea, fixed to the base a.

From :thedescription so far given of Fig. 3 it will be seen that thespacing-pieces b b and the rods B B constitute the first section of theextensible arm,the spacing-pieces c c and the rods 0 G the secondsection, and the rods DD, with the projecting piece e of thetransmitter, thethird section. -When the arm is contracted by pushingback the transmitter E, the piece 0, carrying'the rods C 0, slides backupon and is guided horizontally by the rods 13 B. The backward movementof piece a continues until it abuts againstthe face of the piece I), atwhich time the forward piece 0 of the middle section will likewise cometo rest against the face of the-spacingpiece I). The rods D D of thefront section will also slide along the forward spacingpiece c, passingthrough clearance-holes in the pieces I) and 0 until the heads cl (1rest within the piece '0 or against the front face of the rearspacing-piece b. During this process the electrical continuity of thecircuit between the line and the microphone terminals is constantlymaintained through the upper and lower series of rods, respectively, bymeans of the connecting-springsjj andjj within the spring-pieces orbushings.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the base-piece Z)of my extensible arm is contracted at its rear portion, (see b in Fig.2%) so as to form a seat for the ornamental base-piece c, which ispreferably of spun or stamped metal. The base-piece b is secured firmlyin the position shown upon the rods B B B of the rear section, and therear ends of these rods, which pass through the base a, are threaded andprovided with clamping-nuts g g g, to two of which the @011- ductors k7c are led. The forward ends of the rods B B B are spaced by theterminal piece I), which is of circular shape, as are all the otherspacing-pieces or insulating-sleeves shown in this figure. The rods C GC of the second section are fixed, respectively, in the spacing-sleevesc and c. The sleeve 0 is capable of sliding on the rods BB B of thefirst or fixed section, its rods 0 O 0 being guided horizontally duringsuch movement by the openings in the piece 0, through which they pass,and by the rods B B B, passing through similar openings in the piece 0.The forward sleeve 0 is made somewhat thicker than the others in orderto permit of its being recessed at both ends and at the same time toconstitute a sufficiently long and rigid bearing for the rods D D D ofthe third or forward section. One of the rods D is insulated from theprojection c of the transmitter and makes connection with the centerterminal 6" of this transmitter by means of a projecting spring 6 in themanner already described with respect to Fig. 3. By referring to thedetail views, Figs. 2 2, 2, and 2 which show, respectively, a rear andfront view of the successive spacing-disks b c b c, it will be seen thatthe front of the disk 0 is recessed to accommodate the projecting spring6 and center terminal 6 when the arm is fully closed, as in Fig. 1. Therear end of the disk 0 is also recessed and provided withcontact-springs M, which are fixed to two of the rods 0 O O and bearupon two of the corresponding or adjacent rods D D D. These rods areshown in Fig. 2 as having the screw-heads (Z (Z (Z, which limit theforward movement of the rods and which are capable of passing freelythrough openings shown in the disk Z) and of nesting within the shadeddepressions or holes cl d d in the front of the disk 0 (see Figs. 2 and2 when the arm is fully closed. The overlapping of the rods of thevarious sections and the contact-springs if t" c", by which electricalcontact between them is maintained, is clearly shown in and will be madeapparent by an inspect-ion of the different detail views.

The friction imparted to the various sections of my extensiblesupporting-arm by the spacing-sleeve is preferably such that when thearm is extended from the closed position shown in Fig. 1 by graspingbetween the fingers and drawing forward the mouthpiece F or thetransmitterE of which it forms part the outer or third section will befirst to move forward, the rods D D D sliding through the sleeve 0 untiltheir further motion is arrested by the screw-heads (Z d d coming incontact with the same. Upon continuing the forward pull upon thetransmitter the rods 0 O C of the second section will be drawn out bytheir forward sleeve 0 until their rear sleeve 0 has traversed the rodsB B B, constituting the first section, and abuts against the forwardsleeve 6, when the arm will be fully extended. In closing the arm bypushing against the mouthpiece F the rods D D D will take their placesbeside the rods CC C, and these two sets in turn will then take theirplaces beside the rods B B B of the rear section until the cylindricalcage shown at Gin Fig. 1 is again completed.

By virtue of the equidistant circular spacing of the rods of the varioussections a neat, strong, and attractive transmitter-support is obtainedthat is graceful in appearance, effective in operation, simple inconstruction, and economical in manufacture. By reason of the slidingcontactmade between the rods and contact-springs efficient and permanentconnection is established between the microphone-terminals and theclamping-nuts g g, to which the conductors 7c of the transmitter-circuitlead, without the use of a flexible conducting cord or cords. Themovement of the arm being in a horizontal direction and the rods'andspacing-pieces constituting the same being of comparatively smalldimensions readily permit of its being placed within a convenientpigeonhole of a desk or used in any other location to which existingtypes of telephone instruments or transmittersupports are notapplicable.

It will be apparent that instead of constituting each section of threerods in the type of arm shown in Fig. 2 I may use a some what largerdiameter of spacing-sleeve and provide four rods for each section or maymake use of a variable number of rods in the different sections and mayalso when the occasion requires it use more than three sections in theconstruction of my extensible arm. here each section consists of fourrods, I may connect them into two groups of two rods each by means ofcontact-springs, so as to obtain increased conductivity, particularly atthe sliding contacts.

It may sometimes be desirable in special locations to fold mytransmitter-arm sidewise when it is in its contracted position. Topermit of this, I have shown in Fig. 2 a form of swiveled base which maybe used instead of the rigid base shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the rear spacingapiece l) ofmy extensible arm have their bearings within a frame a", se-' cured to abase a. These trunnions or extensions may be in electrical connectionwith the rods B B, respectively, and the frame a may be divided into twoparts, each connecting with one of the conductors k 70 of thetransmitter-circuit, by which construction direct electrical connectionbetween the bearings a a of the frame and the rods 13 B of the arm maybe maintained through the trunnions or extensions 19 12 either with orwithout an additional spring-contact, thus dispensing with the use ofseparate conductors. I prefer, however, in order to secure greatersimplicity to utilize the nuts g g upon the threaded ends of the rods BB as a means for attaching the conducting-wires k k, as shown in thedrawings, although it will be obvious that other means for maintainingsuch connection may be employed. The mounting of the arm I) not onlypermits of folding the transmitter sidewise when the arm is closed, butalso of swinging it into more convenient position for use when the armis extended. The type of arm shown in this figure, although not perhapsquite as ornamental or symmetrical as that illustrated in Fig. 1, hasthe advantage in addition to its greater simplicity of being more rigid,owing to the gradually-increasing vertical distance between the rodsconstituting the successive sections of the arms from its forward ortransmitter-supporting end toward its base.

While I have herein shown and described my extensible arm as applied totelephone apparatus, it is obvious that the novel construction embodiedtherein may be advantageously utilizedor employed in connection withother apparatus, and I therefore do not desire to limit myself to theparticular construction and application of my invention herein specifiedas the same may be materially modified without departing from the spiritof my invention embodied therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a telephone apparatus, the combination with a base-board or boxfor carrying the stationary portion of said apparatus adapted to besecured to a desk or other support, of an extensible arm mounted uponand proj ecting from said base-board or box and consisting of a seriesof groups or sections of conducting-rods insulated from each other, saidgroups being capable of relative motion in the direction parallel to thecommon axis of es ers the groups, a telephone-transmitter mounted uponthe outermost group of said rodsand contact-pieces between certain rodsof the several groups for maintaining asliding electrical connectionbetween the transmitter and said stationary portions of the telephoneoutfit through the rods of said groups.

2. A supporting-arm for telephone-transmitters, comprising a stationarysection and one or movable sections each consisting of a number ofseparate parallel rods, insulatingpiecesfor spacing the rods of eachsection, openings in said spacing-pieces for the entrance or passage ofthe rods of other sections, and contact springs or bushings withincertain of said spacing-pieces for efiecti'ng a sliding or frictionalconnection between rods of the fixed section and corresponding rods ofthe movable section or sections whereby said rods form the circuit toand from the transmitter.

3. An extensible supporting-arm for the purpose specified, consisting ofone set of two or more rods secured together at their ends by blocks ofinsulation, and a set of parallel rods also secured together at theirends by blocks of insulation, one of which slides upon the rods of thefirst section, while the rods of the latter section slide through holesin the insulation at one end of the first section, contact-pieces formaintaining electrical connection between adjacent rods of said sectionsfor the purpose specified, and a frame in which said arm is mounted toswing, substantially as set forth.

4:. A supporting-arm for telephone-transmitters consisting of a seriesof sections composed of rods arranged in the several sections aselements of a cylinder, insulating-pieces for spacing apart the rods ofeach section, the rods of one section adapted to slide through openingsin the spacing-pieces of an adjacent section whereby said arm may beextended or collapsed at will and when collapsed said rods will form acylindrical mass, and contact springs or bushings within certain of saidspacing-pieces for effecting a sliding or frictional connection betweenrods of adjacent sections whereby said rods form the circuit to and fromthe transmitter, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 8th day of September, 1898.

ELIAS E. RIES.

Witnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, HATTIE HOFFMAN.

